Lost in the Dark
by sassywriterchick
Summary: What if someone jumped in front of Gisborne's blade in Acre? Someone everyone loved dearly... Maybe Character death, maybe not ;) RobinMarian
1. Chapter 1

_I know I just uploaded a new story, but this one is stuck in my head. Character death (Maybe, maybe not, ;) ) and sadness to follow. I read this somewhere, this version of an alternate ending to season 2, and this story popped into my head. Plus you know, I like to write sad things. And if the person who originally wrote this idea down as a one shot in like 2008 IM SORRY I COULDN'T RESIST TURNING THIS INTO A FULL FLEDGED STORY. I COULDN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT. LOL not their same words, my own, but I didn't want anyone to get mad because I really wanted to write this. I'm kinda stressed about it, but I really wanted to expand it with my own words and version so please don't get mad if you ever read this. Thanks!_

_Love Sage_

"I love Robin Hood." Marian smiled, she knew this now, even if it had taken her around ten years to realise how desperately she really needed him. That she really truly loved him, and always would. "I love Robin Hood." she said more firmly, and with a larger grip on her sense of those four words, she had never spoken them aloud, except to Robin, and words had power.

She saw Gisborne's sword stretch toward her stomach, and could somehow feel her end was near, but it was as if everything was in slow motion, she could see the sword, but couldn't move out of the away, like her limbs were frozen in space, and she couldn't avoid the sword with her normal accuracy.

A flash, a man, someone, darted in between her and the blade and took the stab, falling to the ground, and Marian screamed when she saw the man's face.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" she must have had a look of murder in her eyes, because Gisborne ran, heading for the Sheriff, who picked him up and the pair rode out of Acre, and she knelt beside him, tears of fear streaking down her face, as he stared up at her with slowly darkening eyes.

"MASTER!"

"ROBIN!"

"NO!"

Djaq, after putting the king back on his feet, with one simple twitch of her fingers ran over to where the pair knelt.

"Marian! The king!" he gasped.

"I'm okay, the King's okay, you've saved us both." she pleaded, she couldn't lose him, Djaq would save him, everything had to be okay.

"Marian." he smiled up at her, then looked down at Djaq. "How's it looking down there?" he was still trying to keep calm, be cool, act like nothing had happened, but Marian could see the tears of pain in his eyes and knew he was in more terrible pain than she would ever know. Djaq remained silent, and Marian noticed her hands weren't busy tending to Robin's wound, weren't trying to salvage his life, and she heard the echoes of memory in her head, "Never lie to a dying man." She turned her head back to Robin, and tried to think of how she could tell him, even if she hadn't fully comprehended it herself.

"Rob-"

"Well can we at least get this thing out of me it hurts like hell." Marian looked back again at Djaq, who shook her head, and with a sob building up in her throat she turned back to him, and tried to say anything, but the words stuck in her throat, and tears welled in her eyes. It was af her whole world was a mirror and everything was about to shatter, distorting the image. Maybe it was the look of pain and sorrow in her eyes, but Robin seemed to catch on.

"Will I die when it comes out?" he asked, and she couldn't find it in her to reply. He seemed to know though, Robin had always been able to read her, almost like a book, and now the

one person who could see past the cool walls she put up, was going. Leaving her, like he had when he first came to the Holy Land, but this time he was never returning. Never again.

"You shouldn't have saved me." she gasped, it was as if all the air was being sucked out of her lungs. He reached up and took her hand, their clasped fingers rested back against the sand which was slowly turning red.

"I won't ever," he said, smiling up at her, "Ever regret saving you."

"We didn't have enough time!" she protested, "All because of me."

"Now is not the time to argue." he laughed, then groaned when the laugh vibrated through his stomach and the sword that was impaled there.

"No it's not. It's time for you to rest, get better, then come home. You promised me Robin. Find Lardner, bring the King home, defeat the Sheriff, and get married."

"I believe you promised me." he said, and it was her turn to laugh. "Well say the words then beautiful."

"What?"

"You know." he grinned that infuriating grin of his, "I Marian, take you Robin..."

"Now?"

"Well it's not as if we have much time left!" he laughed again, "We don't have a ring though.."

She reached down and ripped the hem of her dress open a fraction, and a circlet of silver and green fell out. She placed it into his fingers. "You didn't really think I was going to leave home without my engagement ring do you?"

"My amazing Marian." the tears poured over, and they splashed on his jacket, "I Robin, take you Marian, to be my lawful wedded wife. For better or for worse, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish, forever and always, even in heaven, till death do us part."

"I Marian take you Robin, beautiful beautiful Lord of Locksley, to be lawful wedded husband, for better or for worse, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish, till-" She shook her head, "even after that. Forever."

"Then I pronounce you two, as the King of England," both Robin and Marian looked at the king in surprise, "man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

"Pucker up handsome." she half sobbed, and he pulled her face down to his and kissed her, and if she closed her eyes, she could almost pretend this was one of their stolen kisses when the Sheriff's guards weren't looking, and that she could open her eyes and they would still be in Nottingham, not lying in the bloodstained sands in Acre, and Robin would be alive and well. This was it though. Their last kiss.

"I love you, my husband."

"I love you, my wife."

Then he pulled out the sword, and left her. Simply left her, something he had promised to her once he would never do again, but now he had gone and left her. How dare he? she thought angrily, but soon her anger dissolved.

"Robin wake up." she said, and gently shook him, "Please don't leave me." he was gone though, and soon he was buried in the sands of acre, and she had his bow and a wedding ring gripped in her fingers, all she had left of the boy that used to shoot arrows at her window to get her to come out, gone with his promises of a better England, the way he grinned at her, his anger, short temper, his haunted dreams, and quick laugh.

Gone. Yet she was still here, traveling to England with a heavy heart, a bow, and a wedding ring.

_Woop. Well that almost made me cry writing it, but like omg I was so shocked when I read that one shot and I got a bajillion million ideas so yah._


	2. Chapter 2

Marian kept her hood up, covering her face, as she entered Locksley. It had been months since Robin had died, and it was their first day back in England.

_"England needs me…" _She pushed the memories of Robin's voice out of her head; it would do no good to dwell in what was long lost. She had left the gang behind in Nottingham, more like snuck away from their watchful eyes, that never seemed to leave her alone, as if they were afraid she would break out in a rage and start killing everyone. She felt almost like a naughty child as she slipped past the villagers assembled in the middle of town, to listen to the announcement Gisborne had for them.

"I know you have all heard, Robin Hood's gang arrived back in England today." Gisborne said, "and so The Sheriff has decided to outlaw the Lady Marian completely, for her acts as The Nightwatchman, as you all know, and her affair with Robin Hood." She felt someone tug on her arm, and turned around to see Much, alarm clearly placed in his eyes. She pulled out of his grip and moved forward.

"Marian." Much frantically whispered, but she paid no attention.

"She was associated with this dangerous outlaw, and aided his assassination attempt to kill the king." Gisborne took a deep breath. "It is now confirmed that, Robin Hood, did indeed die at my hands, in the sands of Acre." The crowd gasped, and Marian looked around at them in surprise, surely the Sheriff had announced Robin's death right away… Unless they thought that Djaq had saved him.

She hadn't though. Robin was dead. She found herself leaving Locksley, aware Much was following her, and went instead back to the barn, the barn, now a circle of ash, as the mercenaries had burned it down after Robin escaped.

She sat down at the edge of the rubble, and just stared at it. His last night in England, last moments in Nottingham, had been here, even if it was long ago burned down.

"They've made a shrine for him." Much said to her as he sat down next to her.

"Really." She said, but there was no level of interest in her words. She reached out and picked up a piece of the rubble, a small rock, and rubbed her fingers over its bumpy surface.

"Will you come and visit it with me?" so this was the real reason he had followed her. She looked into his face, preparing to say no, but something about the raw pain, fear, and shame in his eyes made her realize he couldn't do this alone, but wanted to pay respects to Robin,

"Yes of course Much." She said, "I will go with you."

* * *

"Robin." A voice said, a voice Robin didn't recognize said, and he tried to sit up. "Forgive me." It was a woman's voice, and she did something that hurt, hurt far worse than getting stabbed in the first place.

"Who are you." He gasped.

"Who I am?" she asked, "Robin you know me. Remember." But he didn't remember, anything, just his name.

"I can't recall anything." He said in bewilderment, and he heard the breath hitch in the woman's voice, and he somehow found the strength to open his eyes, even if it was harder than he originally thought to do so. The woman above him had light brown skin, and black shorn hair.

"Will!" she called, "Will he had woken."

"Who are you?" he was instantly aware of a burning pain in his side, and he groaned, all strength lost, and sank back against the surface he was lying against, not soft not hard.

"I am Djaq." She said, "Robin tell me, can you remember Marian?"

_Marian. _A whisper of memory stirred in the back of his mind, but the moment he tried to settle on it, it carefully evaded him. Sure this was just his mind playing tricks on him, whoever this Marian was, she and him had probably never met.

"No." he said, "Not at all."

* * *

It was around a tree in Sherwood Forest, all lit up with candles. Marian knelt beside the candles, and nearly laughed at the image that hovered in her eyes of the pleased look Robin would have on his face if he had ever gotten a chance to see it. Bows, roughly made from twigs, lay around the candles, along with dolls, roughly sewn from cloth, and Marian picked two up, their tiny hands sewn together, two dolls, one with a bow, and the other with a mask, The Nightwatchman and Robin Hood. A small slip of paper fell of what was Robin's Hood, and she unfurled it, _May the Lord and his Lady find peace, Love, Sarah and Jess._ They must have found someone to write it for them,Fighting back tears, she shoved the dolls back on there place, and the note, as if she could pretend that they were at peace, were together, fighting in the forest. She began to read the other things people had said, about her and Robin, the gang.

The Sheriff must have announced her allegiance, and the fact she was The Nightwatchman long ago. She thought she saw, at the corner of her eye, Much slip a doll of Robin into his pocket, but she didn't inquire about it, just picked up an unlit candle, it's tip possibly blown out by the wind, and held it to another's, igniting it.

_I love you Robin, _she thought as she watched it's tiny trail of smoke head towards the sky. _Even after death. _


	3. Chapter 3

Ok some of you may have already read this before, and its a super short chapter too, sorry! I reread one of my chapters and absolutly hated it, so I deleted it, but there is one important scene in it that needs to be there.

Sorry!

Ok welllll here it is! Hopefully I will update a completely new chapter later tonight if all goes as planned.

Love,

Sage

Djaq did not send the wonderful news to Marian and the gang that Robin was alive and well, because he did not remember anything, and it wasn't yet clear to her that he would live. He did not talk much, did not ask very many questions, as he was awake for only a couple minutes at a time and was mostly moaning in pain those moments.

The gang would be back in England, and yet Robin had still not shown any signs of improvement, and Djaq feared that he would still die.

"Mistress." Robin said from behind her. She was perched on the end of his bed, her knees pulled up to her chest, silently watching over her leader, even if he did not remember being a leader in the first place, she still was loyal to the true Robin.

"I have told you. Call me Djaq." She protested, before pressing her hand to his forehead.

"But you are the woman who is healing me." He protested, and his brow furrowed, "surely that means… Are you my wife?"

Djaq merely shook her head. Every time he woke, it was the same. He was searching for his wife, looking for Marian, even if he didn't remember her. Even though he must have long known she wasn't his wife, there must have been some desperate hope that she was, and his searching could cease. "That would be Marian." She said, and pulled his blankets up to his chin.

"I need to find her!" his eyes grew wide, and she pressed his shoulders back on the mattress. It was a side effect of the fever, he would wake up, and act like normal, then the hallucinations would begin. They were the only times Robin seemed to remember anything, but as soon as he fell asleep the memory's were gone.

"MARIAN!" he screamed, and Djaq pressed a cloth over his mouth, muffling the sound. She didn't need the neighbors to come knocking.

"We need her." Will said, and Djaq looked at him, her eyes wide.

"Will he may not-"

"I know that." He said, and shook his head briefly, "but his fevers just getting worse. He needs her. She needs him." Djaq looked up at him.

"Come here." She said, and when he came over, she pressed her head into his shoulder. "Don't bring the others. Just Marian. Be quick." She knew Will had to leave, she could see it herself, and Robin would not get better unless he found what he was searching for. He awoke at night, wouldn't eat much, nor drink, just ask questions about his Wife, then forget them the next day.

" I love you." He said into her hair. "But I have to leave tomorrow." She nodded, he kissed her briefly.

"I love you too."


	4. Chapter 4

Will rode. He rode with all of his last remaining bits of strength, trying desperately to get away from the men at his heels.

"We seen your face before!" one of them crowed, his accent and use of grammar poor, "We worked for the Sheriff once we did. Knocked me out with a.." he broke off, obviously not knowing the word for an axe hidden in a lute, not that there was one in the first place.

Will didn't respond, just kept riding, riding for his life, because they knew he was part of Robin's gang, or had been part of his gang. Now that they worked for Prince John, Will shuddered to think what they would do to him if they caught him.

He had to get back to Djaq, had to get Marian to Robin, it couldn't end here, his journey. No. He had to keep pushing on, for Robin, for Marian, and most importantly, Djaq. Djaq needed him just as much as the other two did, perhaps even more.

He nearly fell off his horse when the first arrow hit his shoulder, but didn't, just kept riding. Riding proved to be a bit of a problem when his horse through him off, and he landed on the muddy ground. He could see it, the dark line of trees that marked Sherwood, could almost taste the fresh forest air.

He wanted to reach down into his jacket and grasp the letter from Djaq tightly in his hands. The letter was to Marian, assuring her that what Will said was true, that Robin was alive. He couldn't let these men get ahold of it.

The men had been chasing him for days, ever since he passed by London. He hadn't barely eaten, slept maybe four hours, and found no energy to get up.

He was to late anyways, the Prince's men guffawed loudly and hoisted him up by the arms, throwing him over the back of one of the horses.

"Prince will be happy with us he will." The guard chuckled, and they rode off back towards London.

"Djaq?" Robin groaned, trying to open his eyes, which felt stuck together. His side ached rather terribly, and there was a dry taste to the air, something that reminded him of the Holy Land, but he _couldn't _be there. He was in England.

Then why did he call for Djaq? "Marian!" he called out and sat up, then cried out as the pain in his side seared. The pain brought memories rising to the surface, only brief flashes, a metal sword being driven towards him, a warm back pressed against his, her sweet breath in his ear.

"What did you say?" he pried open his eyes, and looked at Djaq. He was in a small room, entirely hewn from rock, and he could tell as soon as he saw Djaq that quite a lot of time had passed.

Her hair was no longer shorn, it fell to her shoulders in black waves, and she carried a cloth in her hands, and quickly wrapped the soft waves up. Her skin seemed a shade darker, as if she had been in the sun quite a lot, and her hands were no longer callused and rough from forest life.

"Where are we?" he asked, as she pushed him back gently against the covers. She didn't respond, just pushed back his hair and felt his forehead.

"Your fever has broken." She said, and then pushed up his shirt and examined his side, "The swelling has gone down." She clapped her hands. "Oh Robin." She said, and hugged him quite tightly.

"Djaq," he said slowly, and she pulled away, "how long have I been asleep?"

"Not asleep." She said, and shook her head. "You awoke quite often, each time your body wracked with fever, calling out for Marian"

"How long Djaq?" he demanded.

"A year." She said softly, and he slumped back against the sheets, closing his eyes.

"Where is she?"

"Who?"

"Marian." His voice was rough with pain. "I'd like to see my wife please."

"She is not here." Djaq said, "she is England, and has no idea you are alive."

Marian pushed her hood over her face, and crept past the guards stationed in Nottingham. _ No wonder Robin came to see me so often, _she thought, amused to herself, _It's easier than embroidery. _She crept towards her room in the castle, a slow smile spreading across her face.

Two guards watched the lady go.

"Shouldn't we stop her?" the younger one asked, but the older one shook his head.

"Sheriff's orders. Says he wants the Lady to hear something." They both watched her, and normally they wouldn't have caught her, she moved quickly, and didn't waste anytime, just slipped through the shadows.

Marian pressed her ear against the Sheriff's chamber doors, and closed her eyes.

"Yes, Will Scarlett is his name." The Sheriff said proudly, "Prince John waiting for winter to give him a most painful execution." Marian sharply inhaled, "He was carrying most important information. Messages have been sent to his allies in the Holy Land, they should be arriving in time for the annual winter mascerade ball." Marian smiled, _She would save Will. _ It was only August after all, and they had ran away before she could hear the Sheriff's next words. "Hood's alive Gisborne. Didn't kill him in Acre after all." Marian was out of the castle, and still didn't know, still thought Robin was buried in the sands of Acre, lost forever.

2 MONTHS LATER

Robin could move now. He was not as physically capable as he was before, his side causing him quite some pain, but soon he and Djaq would be able to travel.

"Madame." A soldier walked into the small room that they used as a main living space. "Word has arrived for you."

"Well?" Robin came to stand beside Djaq, still limping slightly, although he couldn't understand why, as he was hurt in the stomach.

"It says Will Scarlett has been captured and is due for an execution this Christmas masquerade ball." Robin heard all of Djaq's breath whoosh out of her.

"Thank you." He said, and politely showed the soldier the door. "We're leaving." He said once the boy had gone, and began to pack the few items he had.

"Robin you are no-"

"Will is more important than me." Robin barked, and threw some of her stuff into the only small bag they owned.

"No he's not!" Djaq shook her head, and Robin gripped her hands.

"Were leaving today." It was still early morning. "Now." He finished packing their belongings.

"We need horses, I need to say goodbye-" she stopped herself. "I will get horses from Bassaam." And she walked out the door.

They would be there in time to rescue him the night of his execution.

"We will need to leave for London in the beginning of December." Marian said, and traced the castles floor plan into the dirt with a stick.

"We will rescue him on the night of his execution."


	5. Chapter 5

Hi! So just ignore any emails saying there was a chapter four for this story, I was just fixing one of the terribly written chapters.

Any-who, It is my belief that Marian is twenty seven at this time, Robin is twenty eight, and Gisborne is around thirty five. I'm saying this because... Well if you regularly read the story you will see in a couple paragraphs. Um. any errors/grammer mistakes are mine, and I would love it if you could point them out to me, I'm really trying to get better.

For those of you who read Magic Arrows, SORRY I have not been in the mood to write that one. Anyways, please enjoy, and sorry for any mistakes.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Robin Hood BBC or any of it's characters. I do not want to use this for any profit, just for fun.**

Marian slipped on her mask, and pulled the cloth over her mouth, effectively hiding her features. She gripped Robin's bow in her hand, and lightly treaded down to the newly rebuilt Knighten manor.

She crept inside, slipping past guards who had long since fallen asleep, no one was interested in the manor and it's occupant since Robin of Locksley was dead. Robin of Locksley, who, they whispered, was supposed to be the heir to the manor.

She was not offended the manor was not in her name, she had never cared much for politics, and, once upon a time, she still would have been the Lady Knighten, if everything had gone as planned and she had married Robin.

The new ownership of the manor, that was a curious thing, because the new Lord or Lady, ad kept quiet, been kind, but firm with taxes, as her Father had been when he was Sheriff. Much would murder her if he found out she was doing this, but she ignored all lingering doubts and slipped in the shadows to the main living area, to where voices could be heard.

"I don't care, Sir Guy," a voice said, obviously female, and a voice as familiar to her as Robin's had been. "I don't care if she married the bloody outlaw! She's still my daughter and I want her home." Marian's eyes widened, and unseen by the two nobles she ducked behind a large heavy curtain.

"I'm afraid that is impossible. Good evening." Guy left, and Marian stepped out from her hiding place. Her Mother had turned her back, and was slumped against a chair, a goblet of wine in her hand.

"Your dead." Marian said, and threw off her hood and mask, anger evident in her blue eyes. "Taken by some outlaws and thrown off your horse." Her Mother slowly turned around, and for the first time in fifteen years, saw her daughter.

* * *

Kate Knighten felt like she had been run over by a team of horses when she saw the anger burning in her daughters blue eyes. The last time she had seen the girl was when she was twelve, but the little girl was gone. Dark brown waves of hair fell down to around her mid back, and her blue eyes were big and framed by long lashes. She was taller of course, and was, not as lady should be, she did not have soft curves and barely noticeable muscles, but was slim and had hard long lean muscles. She wore tight fitting leather brown pants and a hooded cape, the hood cast off earlier, a mask held loosely in her grip. She held a white curved bow, and a green ring was strung on a chain around her neck.

The pain in her eyes was what through her off guard. Her daughter, once so bright and bubbly, looked as if she'd lived a thousand lives and hated them all, as if she'd spent a thousand lonely days searching.

"What has happened to you child?" she asked softly, and tried to envelop her daughter in a hug, but Marian sidestepped.

"You died." She said, her voice hard. "I got engaged to Robin. He left for the Crusades, came back five years later, got outlawed, Father died because of those men you were just talking with, and then Robin died, right after we got married! So yes, maybe some things have happened to me Mother dearest, things you will never know about." Marian glared at her mother, and Kate felt a piece of her heart break. "Why did you leave?" Marian demanded.

"I fell in love." Kate said simply. "With an outlaw, we are not much different you see-"

"No." Marian shook her head, "I didn't have children, I only ever loved Robin, I was not married to another man! Don't," she said, her voice becoming deathly calm, "Don't ever try to contact me again." And she left.

* * *

Robin extinguished the fire, hiding them safely in the dark. He had learned, from his first trips to the crusades and back, that outlaws, the real kind not ones like him, would attack those with fires, thinking them rich. The ones sleeping in the dark, well, they were probably no better off then themselves. He lay, looking at the stars, and listening to Djaq's breathing get heavy. It reminded him of quite another night, on the hill of Locksley, when Marian had been staying with them in the forest.

* * *

**April 11, 1193, Locksley hill**

"What if Guy caught us right now?" Marian whispered as they lay underneath the stars, hands clasped.

"He'd kill me." Robin said, "if he could catch me." He turned on his side so he could see her better, "I'm very fast you see."

"Oh really?" she asked, her tone sarcastic but she was smiling. "and then I would throw myself upon your body and cry out in anguish."

"Well I certainly hope so." He joked, "I am, after all, your lover." He drew the last word out, and she punched him lightly in the arm.

"Is that really what we are?" she asked softly, "Lovers?"

"Nah." He said smiling, "I more prefer to think of it as courting you."

She laughed then, clear and sweet. "Courting?" she asked, and wrapped her blanket more firmly around herself. That was all it simply was, the pair of them sitting underneath the night sky, just talking quietly.

"I love you Mo." he made up a nickname on the spot, and she turned towards him, eyes skeptical.

"Mo?"

"No?"

"No."

He wrapped his arm around her. "What shall I call you then?"

"The Nightwatchman." She said, "That is the only name I'll accept."

"Not even," he thought for a moment, "Not even, Blue?" then she looked at him, with those blue eyes of hers, and dramatically sighed.

"I suppose," she said, "That would be alright." He laughed again and tickled her, causing her to shriek with laughter. They were to far on the hill for anyone to hear them, but Robin pressed a finger to her lips anyways.

"Blue it is then." He grinned. "Short for Blue-eyed girl." He kissed her then, a sweet short kiss, before pulling her to her feet, and escorting her back to camp.

* * *

Looking back on it, Robin wished he had stayed there with her all night, laughing under the stars.

_I'm coming back for you Blue. _He thought, _I promise._


End file.
